Chapter XXI

As the doors of the turbolift parted before her, Kathryn Janeway wondered whether the befuddling events that had befallen them recently would ever have a logical explanation. Then again, when has that ever been the case with temporal anomalies? she thought. The warp core pulsed directly ahead of her and B'Elanna Torres was there, along with a security officer who had his phaser trained on an unfamiliar man in a rather odd uniform. "Care to explain what you're doing on my ship, mister?" the Captain asked politely.

"It's a rather long and complicated tale. If not for the unpredictable nature of the phenomenon you've been experiencing, I would have been here a while ago," the stranger answered. Janeway was about to get him to clarify that when a familiar voice said, "Bridge to Captain Janeway." Tapping her combadge, she answered, "Janeway here, what is it Tuvok?" "A shuttlecraft is on an intercept course and is requesting permission to land. However, our sensors indicate that it came from one of the alternate realities," the Vulcan reported.

"Open a channel and let me speak with them," Kathryn instructed, then gestured to the security officer and directed, "Throw him in the brig." As the intruder was hauled off, she moved over to one of the stations and tied in the signal from the approaching vehicle. An unfamiliar man in the gray uniform the Doctor had described after his visit to the Prometheus appeared and said, "Captain Janeway, I presume?" "I'm afraid that you have the advantage of me, mister…" she prompted.

"La Forge… and I wouldn't be asking to dock if it wasn't an emergency," the officer stated. "How can we help?" the Captain offered. "I think that the serum you provided is disagreeing with my copilot. I'd appreciate it if we could land, where you might be able to determine why and remedy the situation," La Forge went on.

"I would help you if that is possible, but Commander Chakotay is the only one who knows its composition and he's not here at the moment," Kathryn told him. "I understand, but I don't think he'll make it until we can return to our ship. Could you at least have your doctor take a look at him to see if there's anything which can be done?" the man pleaded. Janeway repressed a sigh and said, "All right, permission granted." She then closed the channel and tapped her combadge, saying, "Doctor, please report to the shuttle bay; we have patients for you to treat."

The hologram's voice replied, "I'm on my way."

Leaving the engine room, the Captain located the nearest turbolift and was about to enter when she stopped in her tracks. Glancing down the corridor, she frowned at the man who was walking towards her and realized that she had never seen him before. Even as the improbability of that fact registered upon her, he produced a slender object and pointed it in her direction before saying, "Where is Seven of Nine?" "Who are you? Why are you threatening me?" Kathryn countered, hoping to stall him long enough for someone else to wander by. "I am not here to menace you or your crew. But my mission is of the utmost importance," the intruder declared.

"I don't take kindly to people barging onto my ship, mister," she observed. "I am aware of that. However, her assistance will be required," the stranger proclaimed. She considered her options, but clearly this man meant business. At that moment, the hall was filled with the hum of two transporter beams and she watched as La Forge appeared along with the Doctor. "Is she going to cooperate?" the hologram inquired. "I have yet to determine the answer to that question," the intruder remarked.

"I don't know what you want, but my crew will not surrender easily," Janeway warned. "We're not your enemies, Captain," La Forge remarked. "I don't know how you've overridden the Doctor's programming, but I'm not going to believe that without a little more evidence," Kathryn told them. Just then, two more figures were deposited by a transporter beam and she immediately recognized the man from engineering even as his companion said, "She is in Cargo Bay 2."

The hologram took her by the shoulder, marching them into the turbolift and calling out their destination. "What are your intentions?" Janeway asked. "It's quite simple really… they're attempting to save the universe," the Doctor answered. She blinked in astonishment, then stated, "You can't honestly expect me to believe that."

"He is quite correct. The current situation is inherently unstable. Without proper modifications, catastrophic results are inevitable," the pale man commented. They soon came to a halt and quickly reached their destination, where she saw Seven resting in her alcove. The Doctor adjusted the panel with expert precision and the computer chimed even as the former drone awoke. "Captain… what is going on?" Seven wondered. "These gentlemen desired to see you and they were most insistent," she answered.

"I see… why are you here, Commander Data?" the young woman inquired. "Since you obviously recognize me, I can assume that you retain the knowledge assimilated by the Borg?" the android said and Seven nodded. "Then you should remember Ensign Daniels as well," the man who had accosted her in the hall said.

"An agent from the future, who influenced a number of events during the career of Captain Jonathan Archer. And you are?" the former drone asked, turning to the person who had addressed her. "My name is Ramses… and I'm certain the Borg have files on my race as well," the intruder answered, fingering the silver object in his grasp before concealing it once more.

"You haven't explained what you intend to do," Kathryn observed. "In approximately an hour, your Commander Chakotay will finish distributing the serum you've provided and shortly afterwards there shall be an enormous surge in subspace. We intend to help you survive that event," Data informed her.

"What sort of occurrence is going to take place?" Seven put in. "Vacuum collapse," the Doctor answered.

"That's only theoretical," Janeway interjected. "On the contrary, the Borg have created such an effect on a small scale; but the technology has not yet been assimilated which would allow them to sustain it in any useful fashion," the former drone explained. "So how are we going to endure this phenomenon?" she inquired.

"As you know, there are several universes which are currently intersecting. If we can jump from one to another, then it should be possible to avoid the event," La Forge declared. "Why didn't you say so before taking me hostage?" the Captain snapped. "Because part of our plan involves the creation of a substance you would be opposed to… the Omega molecule," Ramses proclaimed.

Kathryn nodded, recalling her last encounter with the volatile material. Seven had devised a way to contain it, but the unstable compound had still proven to be too dangerous for them to keep around for very long. "So why should I go along with you under duress?" Janeway asked. "We don't exactly have a lot of time," La Forge observed.

"How do you intend to push us out of phase?" Seven wondered. "We must modify the shields in order to create an isolation field around the ship which will keep us safe," Ramses responded. "That should work, if we can determine the quantum resonance of the wave as it develops. However, this would require split-second timing," the former drone warned.

"I believe that I am up to the challenge," Data said. "Are we agreed, then?" Daniels inquired. Kathryn shook her head and said, "I would like to see more evidence which supports your allegations before going thru with this." The Doctor nodded, moving to the console and stating, "Computer, download my recent memory files and display their contents." She moved to look at the screen, noting his arrival in the bay; then watching as Data used a tricorder to access his mobile emitter. Next, a series of diagrams manifested; showing a pattern in the region around them. "This is all very interesting, but I don't see how it helps your case," Janeway noted.

"The source of these anomalies is clearly growing more unstable all the time. However, the distribution of your serum has added a new element to the equation," Daniels said and a new scene appeared, looking like a raging river. "Are you saying that our solution is only making things worse?" she wondered.

"Unfortunately, yes; but this is necessary if all of us are going to endure," Ramses proclaimed cryptically. "Very well, Seven; work with B'Elanna to create the molecule. I'll be on the bridge," the Captain said, striding from the bay with her visitors following her closely. They crowded into a turbolift and ascended to the uppermost part of the ship, where Tuvok merely raised a quizzical eyebrow at the sight of her companions. "All hands, this is the Captain. We will be expecting a severe anomaly soon. Secure yourselves immediately," she directed. Data took up the post behind her, while La Forge went over to the console Ensign Kim usually monitored.

"Is everything all right, Captain?" the Vulcan inquired and she knew that he'd intervene immediately if she gave him any indications of being coerced. "We're just playing it safe for now," Janeway advised, shaking her head imperceptibly.

Tuvok nodded, but didn't divert his attention from their visitors. "I'm picking up increased gravimetric disturbances… looks like we've got trouble," La Forge reported. "Bridge to Seven of Nine, status report," Kathryn called out. "Seven here, we've just stabilized a single molecule," the former drone answered. "The shields have been adjusted," the android put in. "The shock wave will reach us in approximately five minutes," Tuvok reported. "I hope you know what you're doing," she muttered, glancing at Ramses. Behind her, Data called out, "There is a second disturbance off our port bow." The Captain stood and said, "That's impossible!"

But the universe ignored her words and even as Janeway watched, the wave overtook her ship.